Joining The Call To Action

NELA’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extends into Friday night with Equality & Justice: Joining The Call To Action. Our Annual Gala Fundraiser brings together employee rights advocates, allies, and friends for a festive evening to celebrate our collective accomplishments as we re-energize for another year of advancing equality and justice in the American workplace. Join NELA’s call to action as we honor the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), one of the pillars of the Civil Rights Movement. Proceeds from the Gala fuel NELA’s Amicus, Judicial Nominations, and Legislative & Public Policy Programs.

President Barack Obama called LDF "the best civil rights law firm in American history," and we are proud to recognize LDF’s enduring legacy and ongoing fight to secure fairness and equal opportunity for African-Americans in all aspects of our society. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has always been transformative: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive America. NELA member Barry Goldstein, who worked at LDF for eighteen years, including several years as the Director of its Washington, DC office, will introduce our honoree. Sherrilyn Ifill, LDF’s President and Director-Counsel, will accept the award.

In addition to ushering in landmark civil rights legislation, the year 1964 witnessed notable milestones in music, including the arrival in the United States of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the first number-one hit for The Supremes, and the release of Sam Cooke’s civil rights anthem, A Change Is Gonna Come. Stay with us after the awards ceremony for a musical journey back in time as we enjoy an evening of dancing, socializing, and fun.

We welcome your support of Equality & Justice: Joining The Call To Action. As a sponsor, you will join NELA’s call to action in our nation’s capital and courtrooms. Among other benefits, sponsors will be listed in the Commemorative Gala Fundraiser Program, NELA’s 2014 Annual Convention Program Guide, and on the Gala Fundraiser Sponsorship Board at the Convention. Pre-event sponsors will be included in the invitation if your sponsorship pledge is received by Friday, April 25, 2014. Sponsorships are tax-deductible as a business expense (advertising), and do not include tickets to NELA’s Annual Dinner, which is a separate event.

Thank You For Joining The Call To Action
And Supporting NELA’s Advocacy Work In DC & Across The Country